(1) Chapter 258, Laws of 2011 shall be known as the joint municipal utility services act.

(2) It is the purpose of chapter 258, Laws of 2011 to improve the ability of local government utilities to plan, finance, construct, acquire, maintain, operate, and provide facilities and utility services to the public, and to reduce costs and improve the benefits, efficiency, and quality of utility services.

(3) Chapter 258, Laws of 2011 is intended to facilitate joint municipal utility services and is not intended to expand the types of services provided by local governments or their utilities. Further, nothing in chapter 258, Laws of 2011 is intended to alter the regulatory powers of cities, counties, or other local governments or state agencies that exercise such powers. Further, nothing in chapter 258, Laws of 2011 may be construed to alter the underlying authority of the units of local government that enter into agreements under chapter 258, Laws of 2011 or to diminish in any way the authority of local governments to enter into agreements under chapter 39.34 RCW or other applicable law.